Substance Use by Immigrant Generation in a U.S.-Mexico Border City

Loza, Oralia; Castañeda, Heide; Diedrich, Brian

doi:10.1007/s10903-016-0407-1

Cited by 12 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…These results add to the existing body of evidence that cities with high immigrant populations display a lower crime rate (Martinez et al 2010) and that residents perceive this to be the case. Research has also found that recent immigrants are less likely to use illicit drugs (Loza et al 2017). There is no empirical evidence that supports the claim that an influx of immigrants is a disorganizing force in communities.…”

Section: Border Crime Paradoxmentioning

confidence: 95%

Border Residents’ Perceptions of Crime and Security in El Paso, Texas

Castañeda

Chiappetta

2020

Social Sciences

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Research has continued to show the overall safety of the U.S. border region contrary to the widespread belief about the insecurity of the U.S.-Mexico border and frequent claims for the need to secure the border in order to prevent the spread of violence into the rest of the country. Rarely do we ask how border residents feel about safety and crime, which could shed significant light on the claims that the border is an insecure warzone posing a threat to the entire country. While calls to secure national borders are common, outsiders' perceptions of an unsafe border are not supported by official crime rates and statistics, Border Patrol apprehensions, or the everyday experiences of people in American cities along the U.S.-Mexico border. This paper investigates the perception of crime and security, as expressed by the residents of El Paso, Texas, a large city located along the U.S.-Mexico border and directly across from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Data come from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded survey that asked 919 residents about their perceptions of crime, sense of security and safety in their neighborhood and the city in general. The results show that the overwhelming majority of border city residents feel safe and that those who are undocumented and raised in El Paso are the most likely to report feeling safe or very safe. We also find that the foreign-born population had a statistically significant lower felony conviction rate than those who were U.S.-born, an important qualifier in discussions over immigration and its connection with violence and crime. Contrary to sensationalized claims about border violence, residents of El Paso do not display any of the sense of insecurity experienced in neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. We present hypotheses about possible causes for these low levels of violence in the U.S.-side of the border and discuss the dissonance between the reality on the border and perception outside of the border region.

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Section: Border Crime Paradoxmentioning

confidence: 95%

Border Residents’ Perceptions of Crime and Security in El Paso, Texas

Castañeda

Chiappetta

2020

Social Sciences

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“…Data for this study comes from ethno-surveys—which collect close-ended quantifiable data and open-ended answers ( Massey, 1987 )—conducted in El Paso, Texas, USA, in 2011 and 2012. They were conducted face-to-face by the first author, and research teams trained for months as part of a class on research methods ( Smith and Castaneda, 2019 ; Loza et al., 2017 ). The ethno-surveys were conducted in English or Spanish, depending on the preference of the respondent.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While some tend to paint the border as dangerous ( Castañeda, 2019 ; Castañeda and Chiappetta, 2020 ) and to associate immigrants and border residents with illegal substance use, previous research shows that drug use rates among Mexican immigrants are lower in El Paso than for the general population in other parts of Texas and the United States ( Loza et al., 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hispanic health disparities and housing: Comparing measured and self-reported health metrics among housed and homeless Latin individuals

Castañeda

Smith

Vetter

2020

Journal of Migration and Health

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Highlights Discusses health disparities among Hispanics. Compares health outcomes between homeless and non-homeless populations. Compares self-reported health data and measurements of blood pressure. Examines the Hispanic Health Paradox. Housing status is significantly associated with health care access among Hispanics.

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“…Illicit drugs are discouraged among Mexican women due to the caregiving role they play at home 36. Another study on the border indicated that as the immigrant generation increased, drug use increased 14. In addition, among transwomen, a lack of gender affirmation increases the likelihood to engage in high-risk behaviors including drug use 37.…”

Section: Initiation Into Meth Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences in Methamphetamine Use Initiation and Trajectory of Use Among People Who Use Methamphetamine in a Mexico-US Border City

Loza¹,

Guevara

Hernandez

2021

Addictive Disorders &Amp; Their Treatment

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Introduction: Methamphetamine (meth) is a stimulant increasing in use and its prevalence has not yet been determined on the Mexico-US border. Few studies highlight gender differences in meth use, trajectory, and initiation by gender. Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, TX, has an established stimulant using population and lies on drug trafficking route. This study assessed gender differences in drug and meth use patterns among people meth people use meth. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 150 people with recent meth use, age 21 years or older, and living in Ciudad Juárez. Measures collected included sociodemographic characteristics, cross-border mobility, drug, and meth use characteristics. Statistically (P<0.05) and marginally (P<0.10) significant gender differences were determined using appropriate bivariate tests. Results: The sample included 45 cisgender women, 5 transgender women, and 100 cisgender men with a mean age of 30.9 years. Men had significantly higher rates of snorting meth by nose in powder or rock forms, while trans/women more frequently using meth in pill form. Men had higher rates of crossing the border for work, with meth, and to obtain meth. Trans/women reported higher rates of acquiring meth from their main sexual partner and initiating meth use in Mexico. Discussion: There are gender differences in patterns of meth use and initiation. Conclusions: A sample of people who use meth in the general population can be achieved. These findings point to a need for evidence-based meth use reduction treatment programs that are culturally appropriate and tailored for gender.

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Substance Use by Immigrant Generation in a U.S.-Mexico Border City

Cited by 12 publications

References 28 publications

Border Residents’ Perceptions of Crime and Security in El Paso, Texas

Border Residents’ Perceptions of Crime and Security in El Paso, Texas

Hispanic health disparities and housing: Comparing measured and self-reported health metrics among housed and homeless Latin individuals

Gender Differences in Methamphetamine Use Initiation and Trajectory of Use Among People Who Use Methamphetamine in a Mexico-US Border City

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